The Future Part 6

This has primarily been about the national debt and what are our options.  I should note that economic issues while potentially devastating are ultimately self resolving, one way or the other.  In the very worst case, a nation that defaults and leaves our seniors and others without the Government benefits they earned, we will survive.

However, the national debt in and of itself is certainly manageable.  We do control our currency so in a worst case scenario we can devalue the debt, and survive.  However, by increasing certain taxes and maybe removing the income cap on social security with continued spending reductions we can manage it until the demographics improve.

Now the area that is much more dangerous to America and the world as a whole is the environment.  There is no easy recovery from an environmental disaster.  We don't really have any way to determine certain historical events but I believe it is reasonable to argue that the pollution and environmental damage we have done has resulted in a significant amount of human pain and death already.

Of course some diseases are possibly simply related to the increased life span of humans while others are clearly linked to specific things like tobacco, but it is hare to imagine that the noxious pollutants dumped into our atmosphere,ground and water have not had a debilitating impact on us.

The point is that the Earth will survive us, the question is whether we will survive us?

We have seen more attention recently to climate change and the excess carbon we are releasing.  This is easily demonstrated via science and is really irrefutable.  To deny it is simple ridiculous, and the impact of the carbon in the atmosphere is both predictable and observable.

The ability of the earth to scrub this carbon our is reduced as we eliminate rain forests saturate our oceans.  The scenario is clear that as the ice on land masses melts, it will increase ocean levels.  It will also create changes in ocean currents based on the interaction between the fresh ice melt and the saltier ocean.

Yes some habitats will be destroyed, coastlines will be flooded, extreme weather will increase and populations will be disrupted.  We may ultimately adjust to these changes but the cost in resources and misery will be great.

It is ultimately reversible but we can't simply let that happen, because we are not guaranteed to survive it.

(to be continued)